Cable TV digitisation: TRAI moves court against cable operators

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has moved a Delhi court against cable operators for not providing details of subscribers of set-top boxes to multi-system operators (MSO) which is necessary to ensure accountability in digitisation of cable TV services.

In its complaints before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vidya Prakash, TRAI said cable operators were violating its regulations concerning implementation of Digital Addressable Cable TV System (DAS), for which a set-top box is to be attached with television set of the subscriber.

Complaints have been filed against over a dozen cable operators.

TRAI said in its phased implementation of the DAS, details of subscribers along with their choice of services including choice of channels and bouquets are not being maintained by cable operators and not being forwarded to their MSOs, which is necessary to ensure accountability.

TRAI said in May 2012, it made the "Standards of Quality of Services" which provides for connection, disconnection, transfer, shifting of the cable TV services, procedure for handling subscribers' complaints and redressal, for obtaining/supplying set-top boxes, changing the position of channels, payment of bills and responsibilities of cable operators and MSOs for ensuring quality of service at the subscriber level.

One of the provisions of Standards of Quality Services makes it mandatory for cable operators to provide consumer information.

However, TRAI said in its review of position regarding deployment of set-top boxes in the four metros in first phase, it was found that all linked cable operators were not providing relevant consumer details like total number of set-top boxes seeded and operationalised, their choice of channels, bouquets and about subscribers.

It also said the cable operators have failed to comply to its notices.